Women in Asia largely ignorant, fatalistic, about fertility

Lifestyle Sep. 09, 2012 - 06:30AM JST ( 22 )

The requested article has expired, and is no longer available. Any related articles, and user comments are shown below.

Order by Time Order by Popularity

22 Comments

0

Muniqui Dawud MuhammadSep. 08, 2012 - 06:59AM JST

This is interesting
1

tmarieSep. 08, 2012 - 07:46AM JST

I think the same could be said for most women anywhere. Not exactly education on reproduction and how to conceive at schools. The old sex Ed clases aren't exactly stellar in educating about anything beyond "don't have sex and if you do, use a condom". Not exactly helping women know their bodies. What is a shame as it would help lower the number of unwanted pregnancies and help those who want kids.
1

gaijinfoSep. 08, 2012 - 07:51AM JST

Well jeez, you'd better hurry up and educate all these women. If it's one thing the world needs it's more people.
4

TokyoGasSep. 08, 2012 - 10:05AM JST

I remember when I was in college and the girlfriend jumped up... I said what are you doing and she said, "If I stand up, I won't get pregnant." O.o OK, this was a lot of years ago, but it shows that knowledge can be lacking everywhere.
1

LowlySep. 08, 2012 - 10:11AM JST

I doubt those numbers would be much better for Japan.

The fatalistic, believing a guy who says "trust me!", attitude is prevalent. And sales of condoms remain low, even post- Aids.
4

tmarieSep. 08, 2012 - 11:05AM JST

Lowly, Japan was surveyed.
-1

ThonTaddeoSep. 08, 2012 - 11:27AM JST

the inability to conceive after a year of regular, unprotected sex

Did the WHO give a standard figure for how many times a couple would be having sex in a year?

Because I could seem some big cultural disparities here.
2

smithinjapanSep. 08, 2012 - 11:36AM JST

Lowly: The survey included Japan.
5

smithinjapanSep. 08, 2012 - 11:40AM JST

It seems astounding that people wouldn't know some of these things at least (of course, you won't know about your partner's infertility unless they're tested), but then that's sex-education in a lot of these countries for you!

I myself wanted to get tested at a fertility clinic just as part of an overall health check -- not because I had any doubts but because I wanted to know, and be thorough, but the doctor I asked (during regular health check) to refer me to a good place said to me, "I don't recommend it until after you're married. If you know before you are married, you might have to tell them and they won't marry you. So it's better to wait."

More than anything, if the people are aware of a lot of the facts, the desire not to know until you find out naturally (or suspect it) seems to prevail.
3

FrungySep. 08, 2012 - 11:59AM JST

This is a global phenomenon, and not limited to Asia. STD testing is becoming more common, but a lot of people I know back home, "trust to God" about getting pregnant and avoiding a myriad of genetic problems. Personally my fiance and I were tested for common genetic problems (as well as fertility) before we got married. I was accused by a few of my friends of putting science before love, but as far as I'm concerned I'd be a pretty darned irresponsible parent if I didn't take every step possible to ensure my future children had every advantage that modern technology could allow.
2

CosSep. 08, 2012 - 12:27PM JST

I think the same could be said for most women anywhere.

I am not from everywhere. In Europe, women that don't get pregnant within 3 months after stopping the pill are already rushing to the fertility clinic with their partner in tow.
1

smithinjapanSep. 08, 2012 - 12:39PM JST

Frungy: "This is a global phenomenon, and not limited to Asia."

Not the level of some of the answers to this questionnaire. Perhaps in regards to not getting tested before marriage, yes, but beyond that, no. I mean, do YOU know any Western educated person who thinks a man cannot possibly be infertile if he can achieve erection? Likewise if one cannot achieve erection that in no way implies infertility (not that the article says that was asked, but you can imply that some people thought that was a requirement for infertility). Or how about not knowing treatment may help?
1

RealisticSep. 08, 2012 - 01:35PM JST

Fertility problem in Asia!

Tell me the largest population countries in the world?
2

FrungySep. 08, 2012 - 07:54PM JST

Forty-three percent did not know a man may be infertile even if he could achieve an erection

smithinjapanSep. 08, 2012 - 12:39PM JST

Frungy: "This is a global phenomenon, and not limited to Asia." Not the level of some of the answers to this questionnaire. Perhaps in regards to not getting tested before marriage, yes, but beyond that, no. I mean, do YOU know any Western educated person who thinks a man cannot possibly be infertile if he can achieve erection?

Do I know anyone like this? Yes, I worked in public health unit counselling people with HIV/AIDS. You wouldn't believe the ignorance out there.

59% of young people have wrongly heard from their friends that a woman cannot get pregnant if the man withdraws before he ejaculates 58% of young people have wrongly heard that women cannot get pregnant if they are having their period 35% have wrongly heard that women cannot get pregnant if they have sex standing up 33% have wrongly heard from their friends that a woman cannot get pregnant if it is the first time she has had sex 25% of young people have wrongly heard that you can only catch HIV from gay sex.

Source: Brook Press Release 12-10-2011
0

FrungySep. 08, 2012 - 07:54PM JST

P.S. those statistics quoted at the bottom of my post concern young people in the U.K. A first world country with Western education.
2

yasukuniSep. 08, 2012 - 07:59PM JST

@Smith, I think it's great that you wanted to find out.
1

DentShopSep. 08, 2012 - 08:45PM JST

how to conceive at schools

Been giving practical lessons for years.
1

tmarieSep. 09, 2012 - 01:10AM JST

Cos, and if they knew more about their cycle they wouldn't be wasting their time and money.
1

philly1Sep. 09, 2012 - 05:10AM JST

Many women (and men) know little about fertility. Taught to protect themselves against the great "ogre" of unwanted pregnancy, they think it will happen the first time they go off the pill or don't use a condom. It's actually a lot more complex than that. Time is one of the main factors. People are not having their children in their late teens or early 20s anymore when chances are best. Now they're finding out that children born to older men (who didn't feel the same pressure as women in their late 30s and early 40s, especially as they could marry a younger woman) have a higher incidence of autism.

Our technology has allowed us to fiddle with the natural order in many ways; however, not always with the best results.
2

smithinjapanSep. 09, 2012 - 02:18PM JST

Frungy: You're talking about a lack of common sense when it comes to getting pregnant whereas this is about a lack of common sense about infertility. You try to counter my statement that people in Western countries don't associate infertility with an inability to get an erection by talking about the idea that a person cannot get pregnant if a man pulls out before ejaculation. There is absolutely no relation between my point and what you tried to counter it with.
-1

FrungySep. 10, 2012 - 02:14AM JST

smithinjapanSep. 09, 2012 - 02:18PM JST Frungy: You're talking about a lack of common sense when it comes to getting pregnant whereas this is about a lack of common sense about infertility. You try to counter my statement that people in Western countries don't associate infertility with an inability to get an erection by talking about the idea that a person cannot get pregnant if a man pulls out before ejaculation. There is absolutely no relation between my point and what you tried to counter it with.

Fertility (noun) - The ability to conceive children or young.

... i.e. to get pregnant. Smithinjapan, you're accusing me of a straw man argument, whereas you are the one guilty of that fallicy. I wrote that it misconceptions about fertility were a global problem. You countered:

Not the level of some of the answers to this questionnaire. Perhaps in regards to not getting tested before marriage, yes, but beyond that, no. I mean, do YOU know any Western educated person who thinks a man cannot possibly be infertile if he can achieve erection?

In your counter you raised two issues. Firstly that the level was less severe in other countries, and secondly that Western education was the reason for this. I countered both points by showing similar levels of ignorance in a Western country (with Western education).

Now you're clinging to the example you selected about male infertility. That's easy to counter.

Infertility is a woman’s problem This widely held view “could not be farther from the truth,” says Dr. Perloe

That infertility is purely a female problem is a widely held view in the opinion of a Western doctor operating in a Western country. As for finding statistics on precisely how many people thing than a male erection = fertility, that's a pointless exercise, the quote above covers that territory nicely.
1

Jonathan HarstonSep. 10, 2012 - 08:19AM JST

In my experience most people don't "try to conceive", most people "don't take measure to prevent conception".